Fruit container



April 12, 1955 J. E. MURPHY ETAL FRUIT CONTAINER Filed Jan. 28, 1955 FIGll.

IN VEN TORS.

JOSEPH E. MURPHY y MURRAY SCHNALL ATTORNEY United States Patent FRUITCONTAINER Joseph E. Murphy, I-Iicksville, and Murray Schnall, Brooklyn,N. Y., assignors to See-Qua] Package Corp., New York, N. Y., acorporation of New York Application January 28, 1953, Serial No. 333,724

3 Claims. (Cl. 20645.33)

This invention relates to fruit containers, more particularly to wrappedtrays for housing a plurality of tomatoes, the device or this inventionbeing of the category referred to in our prior applications identifiedby Serial Nos. 284,363, 289,506 and 303,063, and the second filedapplication now Patent No. 2,680,513, granted June 8, 1954.

it is primarily within our contemplation to provide a form of package inwhich a line of fruit units will be firmly supported within a tray by acentral beam structure to eliminate the danger of the fruits coming intoengagement with an underlying table or conveyor upon which the packagemay be placed. And it is further within our contemplation to provide thetray with a plurality of centrally supported flexible arms that willprovide yieldable supporting means along portions of the tomatoesdisposed laterally of the central supporting beam, whereby fruits ofslightly varying sizes may be adequately supported with a minimum amountof structural material, thereby to present a tray that is economical ofmaterial.

lt is also an important object of this invention to provide a completelywrapped package wherein the said tray is one component, another being aflexible wrapping of cellophane or other conventional enrobing materialproviding both a securely packed device as well as one in which thereare means for ventilating the interior of the package.

in connection with the last-mentioned aspect of our invention, it is tobe noted that packages in which tomatoes are enveloped by an air-tightwrapping cause a rapid deterioration of the fruit, inasmuch as theripening process is accelerated under stagnant air conditions. it is toovercome this shortcoming that we have devised the structure of thepresent invention whereby, in addition to providing a firm thoughyieldable support for the fruit within the tray, and the positioning ofsuch units at a level where they will be safely out of engagement withthe underlying floor, air will be permitted to enter through certainunsealed overlapping portions of the wrapping, to circulate within theinterior of the package and thereby retard the ripening process.

It is also within our contemplation to provide a central beam having thesupporting functions above-mentioned and which will nevertheless be heldagainst bending and be light in weight.

Other objects, features and advantages will appear from the drawings andthe description hereinafter given.

Referring to the drawings,

Figure 1 is a plan view of the tray member of our invention.

Figure 2 is an end view of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a side elevational view of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a longitudinal section of Figure 1 taken substantially alongline 4-4 thereof.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary section of Figure 1 taken along line 5-5thereof.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary section of Figure 1 taken along line 66thereof.

Figure 7 is a part elevational, part sectional view of the tray ofFigure 3 operatively supporting therein a plurality of tomatoes, thedevice being enrobed by a transparent wrapper, a portion of the wrapperbeing removed for clarity, the section being taken substantially alongthe longitudinal axis of the device.

Figure 8 is an end view of the package of Figure 7.

Figure 9 is a somewhat enlarged section of Figure 7 taken along line 9-9thereof.

Figure 10 is a somewhat enlarged section of Figure 7 2,706,038 PatentedApr. 12, 1955 taken along line 1010 thereof, the dot-dash lines showingthe position of the flexible supporting arms when not under load; and

Figure 11 is a somewhat enlarged section of Figure 7 taken along line11l1 thereof.

As illustrated in the drawings, the tray 15 of our invention, madepreferably of plastic material, comprises a central longitudinallydisposed beam or bar 16 supporting a plurality of multiple-armed seatmembers 17, oppositely disposed parallel base rails 18 and 19, twotransversely aligned supporting bars 20 and 21 connecting the said baserails with the said central beam, oppositely disposed parallel upperrails 22 and 23, and end walls 24 and 25.

The said seat members 17 each comprises four up wardly curving arms 26,27, 28 and 29 extending from the central juncture portion 30. The saidarms 26 and 27 diverge outwardly and laterally from said junctureportion 30 on one side of the beam 16, and the said arms 28 and 29similarly diverge outwardly and laterally from said juncture portion 30on the other side of rail 16. The arrangement is hence such as topresent, in plan view, a seat member of a substantially X-shapedconfiguration, each of the arms being curved upwardly from the junctureportion 30 to a predetermined upper level. It is preferred that theupper terminal ends 31 of each of said arms be normally, when not underload, substantially at the level of the upper rails 22 and 23, as shownin Figs. 2 and 10. It is also preferred that said arms be of somewhatflexible material, so that they will yield slightly under the weight ofa supported tomato.

In operatively employing said tray 15, a plurality of tomatoes 32 areplaced upon said seating members 17, the said arms 26, 27, 28 and 29 ofeach of said members embracing the sides of said tomatoes because oftheir said curved configuration. The depressed stem end 33 of each ofthe tomatoes is placed directly over the said juncture portion 30 of thesupporting seating member, as illustrated, the weight of the tomatoesbearing down upon the arms and causing a downward displacement thereoffrom the normal dot-dash position 27a and 29a to the full line position27 and 29 of Figure 10. In the said loaded position of the arms, thelateral sides of the tomatoes may be in engagement with the upper rails22 and 23. Since said upper rails are supported only at their ends andat their junctures with the intermediate props 50 extending to the baserails, the upper rails will bend slightly at their unsupported portions.The arrangement is hence that both said arms and said upper rails willyieldably support the tomatoes and adjust themselves to slightvariations in fruit sizes.

After said tomatoes are placed on the said seating members 17, theentire device is enrobed by a transparent flexible wrapping 34, themethod of Wrapping being by means well known to those skilled in theart, either manually or mechanically. The wrapping is so proportioned asto form at the opposite ends of the tray two overlapping portions 35 and36, and also overlapping marginal portions 37 and 38 along the undersideof the tray, below the beam member 16. The said wrapping is made ofknown material of such properties that contacting portions can readilybe secured together by heat and pressure means well known to thoseskilled in the art. When the said overlapping portions are broughtagainst a wall of the tray by conventional heating and pressure dies,such portions will adhere to each other, and cause a sealing of thewrapping at such adhesively secured portions. The outer surfaces of theend walls 24 and 25 serve as a backing for the overlapping portions 35and 36, certain portions along the undersurface of beam 16 constitutingsimilar backing Walls for the bottom overlapping portions 37 and 38 ofthe wrapping, as will hereinafter appear.

The said beam 16 contains a longitudinal hollowed-out portion 39 alongthe bottom wall thereof, producing a longitudinal arch 39a extendingfrom end to end of the beam. The arrangement is hence such as to producea light-weight structural member that will not bend under the weight ofthe tomatoes in view of the rigid arch construction. The underside ofthe arch contains at spaced intervals therealong base portions 40 and41, bases 40 being on one side of the beam and bases 41 on the otherside. The lowermost surfaces of said bases are substantially at thelevel of the lowermost surfaces of base rails 18 and 19, so that whenthe device is placed upon a table or other horizontal structure, saidbase rails 18 and 19 and said spaced base portions 40 and 41 are inresting engagement upon said horizontal supporting surface. Between thesaid base portions of the beam are intermediate arched sections 42, 43,44 and 45 without any base portions corresponding to said portions 40and 41. The lowermost edges 46 and 47 of said intermediate arch portionsare at a higher elevation than the bottom surface of base portions 40and 41, as clearly shown in Figures 5, 6 and 9. The construction ishence such that between said low-level base portions 40 and 41 there areelevated portions 46 and 47 of the beam, the latter constituting regionsfor the passage of circulating air therepast, as will more fully behereinafter described.

The said base portions 40 and 41 are adapted to receive thereagainst theoverlapping portions 37 and 38 of the wrapper under the action of apressing die acting in the direction of arrow A (Figs. 7 and 11). Henceat such regions, that is, along each of said base portions 40 and 41,the adjacent overlapped portions 37a and 38a will become adhesivelysecured to each other, to seal the wrapping about the tray. However,directly below the bottommost portions 46 and 47 of the intermediatesections 42. 43. 44 and 45, as shown in Figures 9 and 10, theoverlapping portions 37 and 38, not being in adhesive engagement,

provide spaces therebetween through which air can pass from the outsideinto the interior of the package, such as is indicated by the arrow B inFigure 9. Even where the overlapping portions 37 and 38 are in veryclose proximity, there are always regions sufficiently separated topermit the passage of air therepast.

It is hence apparent that because of the special structure of the beam16 which is flanked by apertured portions of the base, the wrapper 35can be made to envelope the tray 15, and held securely in positionthereover by the adhesively secured overlapping portions 37a and 38a,and will yet serve as a means to permit circulating air to enter throughthose unsealed regions containing the overlapping portions 37 and 38.The passage of air between said unsealed overlapping portion into theinterior of the package will prolong the ripening period of the tomatoesand therefore give them longer life, and will also cause suchventilation within the device as to prevent a fogging of the inner wallsof the tray and wrapper.

In the above description, the invention has been disclosed merely by wayof example and in preferred manner; but obviously many variations andmodifications may be made therein. It is to be understood, therefore,that the invention is not limited to any specific form or manner ofpracticing same, except insofar as such limitations are specified in theappended claims.

We claim:

1. In a package for a row of fruit units, a container tray and awrapping therefor; said tray having a longitudinally extending beam witha base portion and an adjacent ventilating portion, the undersurface ofthe said ventilating portion being above the level of the said baseportion; said wrapping being a flexible sheet enrobing said tray andhaving overlapping marginal portions underlying the tray and extendinglongitudinally under said beam, said overlapping portions beingadhesively sealed together at the section thereof underlying said baseportion, whereby said wrapping is maintained in enrobing engagement withsaid tray, said overlapping portions having an unsealed sectionunderlying said ventilating portion, the said overlapping portions ofsaid unsealed section being separable, whereby ventilating passagesbetween the outside atmosphere and the interior of the tray areprovided.

2. In a package for a row of fruit units, a container tray and awrapping therefor; said tray having a longitudinally extending beam withan arched recess extending longitudinally along the underside thereof,the underside of said beam having a plurality of pairs of laterallyopposite base portions flanking said arched recess, said pairs of baseportions being in longitudinally spaced relation, the undersides of thebeam adjacent said base portions being disposed at a level above that ofthe undersides of said base portions, thereby to provide ventilatingportions adjacent said base portions; said wrapping being a flexiblesheet enrobing said tray and having overlapping marginal portionsunderlying the tray and extending longitudinally under said beam, saidoverlapping portions being adhesive 1y sealed together at the sectionsthereof underlying said base portions, whereby said wrapping ismaintained in enrobing engagement with said tray, said overlappingportions having unsealed sections underlying said ventilating portions,the said overlapping portions of said unsealed sections being separable,whereby ventilating passages between the outside atmosphere and theinterior of the tray are provided.

3. In a package for a longitudinal row of adjacent fruit units, amoulded plastic container tray having a base and a wrapping therefor;said tray having at said base a combination supporting and backingmember, said member comprising a semi-rigid bar extending longitudinallyand medially along said tray and having laterally projecting fruitsupporting portions along the longitudinal extent thereof to support allof the adjacent fruit units within said longitudinal row at the medialportion of the fruit, ventilating passages in the bar; said ventilatingpassages communicating with the interior of the container tray and withthe bottom face of the bar; said wrapping being a flexible sheetenrobing said tray and having overlapping marginal portions underlyingthe tray and extending longitudinally under said bar, said marginalportions being positioned for bearing contact with the undersurface ofsaid bar responsive to upwardly directed sealing pressure, saidoverlapping marginal portions having adhesively sealed sections atlongitudinally spaced intervals underlying said bar, whereby alternatesealed and unsealed sections are provided along said overlappingportions, said unsealed sections being separable, in communication withand adjacent to said ventilating passages in said bar.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS886,954 Csincsak May 5, 1908 1,149,590 Moe Aug. 10, 1915 2,681,172Sanford June 15, 1934 2,368,797 Bailar Feb. 6, 1945 2,637,481 Adams May5, 1953

